page 2 - Out in the Mountains 

Election commentary from page 1

much argument the idea that we were a
liability in this campaign, and that the most
valuable role we could play was an invisible
one.

That willingness to sit silently by in the
face of rampant political quecr—bashing may
have been legitimately motivated by concern
for the fate of the ERA, but the end result
was to leave us even more vulnerable and
exposed. As a community, we never
seriously discussed and implemented an ERA
strategy, and we all suffered as a result.

In hindsight, of course, it is easy to
criticize and make pronouncements on what
would have worked. Unfortunately, we
cannot go back to a point in time six
months ago and remake Vermont history.
What has happened has happened, and our
obligation now is to deal with the new
realities of our existence in Vermont.

We can make no mistake about it, things
have changed. The homophobic feelings
which the anti-ERA campaign nurtured and
fed did not disappear the morning after the
election: they have'bee0mc an open part of
Verniont‘s culture. The fears and prejudices
which have long been held by individuals
have been given legitimacy through the
campaign, and now they will be more openly
expressed than ever before.

To a certain extent, that is a good
thing. Dealing on a day to day basis with
discrimination, violence and the hundreds of
other forms oppression takes, we know all
too well how real it is. By giving open
expression to that oppression, the enemy is
no longer amorphous and anonymous.

Our community is more prominent in the
Vermont consciousness than ever before.
The image, to be sure, is negative, but it is
both our obligation and within our power to
turn that around. We know that, as never
before, the media will cover us, and that we
can play a major role in shaping how the
public perceives us. We are no longer
invisible.

I don't want to overestimate the
positive: the campaign was too damaging and

Purpose

The purpose of Out iii the .‘ll)lHlI(lf1l.S' is to serve as
a voice for lesbians, gay men and our supporters in
Vermont. We wish the newspaper to be a source of
information. support and affirmation for lesbians and
gay men. We also see it as a vehicle for celebration of
the goodness and diversity of the lesbian and gay
community.

Editorial Policy

We will consider for publication any material which
broadens our understanding of our lifestyles and of
each other. Views and opinions appearing in the paper
do not necessarily represent those of the staff.

This paper cannot. and will not endorse any candi-
date for public office. We will serve as a vehicle for
informing our readers about the views of candidates
and actions of public officials on issues of particular
importance to lesbians and gay men.

We will not publish any material which is overtly
racist. sexist. anti-Semitic. ageist or homophobic.

All materials submitted must be signed and include
an address and/or phone number so we can contact the
authorshould we need to consider editorial revisions.
However. within the pages of the newspaper, articles
may appear anonymously, upon request. and strict
confidentiality will be observed. No revisions or reject»
ions of materials will occur without dialogue with the
author.

We welcome and encourage all readers to submit
materials for publication and to share your comments.
criticisms and positive feelings with us. This paper is
here for you.

The deadline for submitting material for each issue is
the 15th of the month prior to publication.

Materials should be sent to:

On! in the .\Iuiiii!uiri.s'
PO Box 438
Hinesburg, VT 05461.

(Jul iii fill’ ."l)llllI(lfliS is published by the Out in (lie
.U(IllnIllfIl.\' collective: Elizabeth Mae. Howard Russell.
David Ryan. Suzi Snira, Philip Roberts, Linda Wheeler,
Terje Anderson. Gilles Yves Bonneau. and Antonio Baio.

disgusting to find many silver linings in a
sky full of clouds. We have been injured
badly, and we will be a long time
recovering.

If we approach the new situation with
determination, we can strengthen ourselves.
We must build stronger community
organizations. We must develop coalitions
more effectively. We must drive home to
our fellow Vermonters the fact that we are
their friends, family, neighbors and
co-workers, not exotic creatures to be feared
or despised.

It will require skill, courage and
perseverance, but it can happen.

Even as the campaign unfolded to the
basest level, there were some encouraging
signs.

For example, in Brattleboro Fritz Hewitt
courageously ran a write-in campaign for
state legislature against Democratic and
Republican candidates who took anti-gay
stands. Supported by the "Brattleboro
Reformer", Hewitt garnered an impressive
233 votes in a four day campaign, finishing
a surprisingly strong third. Brattlcboro
straight liberals joined lesbians and gay men
in refusing to vote for bigots.

Hewitt's campaign was marked by an
unpreeedentedly vicious smear campaign
against him, including libelous allegations
that he was a member of the North
American Man-Boy Love Association
(NAMBLA). His campaign raised public
awareness and provided a_promising example
of ways to combat homophobia in the
political area: bringing it out into the open
rather than sweeping it under the rug,
unashamedly calling a bigot a bigot.

Politicians who have supported us did
not seem to suffer from any ERA spillover.
Rep. Micque Glitman \von easy re—eleetinn.
as did every Co—Sponsor of the HTLV-lll
anti-discrimination bill. Neither Governor
Kunin nor Mayor Sanders were widely
attacked for their attendance at this year's
Lesbian/Gay Pride Celebration. Every major
candidate for statewide office, except Peter

Smith, responded to an OITM questionnaire -.

on lesbian/gay issues.

We cannot afford to pause too long to
lick our wounds. In June, we marched
behind a banner which proclaimed "N0
turning back." in the fact of a major defeat,
we need to hold true to that spirit, to pick
up the pieces and respond with even greater
resolve and determination.

Flo Kennedy coined the phrase "Don‘t
agonize, organize." Nothing would make our
enemies happier than for us to ignore that
advice.

Subscriptions to ‘Out in the Mountains‘
are available for $10 per year(l2 issues, $5
for low income and unemployed people. By
subscribing, not onl will you guarantee
prompt delivery of t e newspaper to your

mailboxlin a discreet plain envelope, of
course), but you will hel to underwrite the
sizable costs of assem ling, printing and
distributing the newspaper.

In addition to subscriptions, we welcome
contributions to support our continued exis-
tence.

Checks should be made payable to ‘Out
in the Mountains’ or OITM and sent, along
with this form to:

Out in the Mountains
PO Box 438
Hinesburg, VT 0546i

Name

Mailing
Address

L/G March 011 Washington
Planned for 1987

On November 14-16, two delegates from
VLGR, Nancy Spannbauer and Philip
Roberts, traveled to New York City for the
National Planning Conference for the 1987
Lesbian/Gay March on Washington. Over
150 different lesbian/gay organizations were
represented, and over 500 people attended
the conference.

A number of issues were decided after
many hours of often intense and passionate
debates. The date set will be Sunday,
October ll, 1987. This will be a three day
weekend which should allow the maximum
number of people to attend.

An over—all steering committee of 44
persons was chosen from eleven regions
around the country. This group will inturn
elect 20 persons from different constituencies
and organizations, some of which were
decided on at the convention. New England
is one of the eleven regions. Each region
will have four delegates on the national
steering committee. Each region will have
gender parity, with at least one delegate
being a person of color.

There will be a Regional New England
Meeting on Saturday January 10, I987 in
Boston at City Hall. This meeting will deal
with organizing the New England region.
Those attending will reaffirm the interim
delegates or elect new ones to the regional
steering committee. These delegates will be
members of the National Steering Committee.
All are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Think about it!

For further information or input contact:
Nancy Spannbaucr at 658-4452 or Philip
Roberts at 864-3617.

For
confidential

AID S

Information

 

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